Bottle carton

ABSTRACT

A wraparound sleeve-type container or carrier for bottled goods which is formed of a single blank and wrapped around a cluster of bottles arranged in double row formation with the ends of the blank adapted to be connected on a center line beneath the cluster of bottles and providing an upstanding row divider, with the blank having triangular panels for partially closing opposite axial ends of the carton which are hinged to the end edges of the side walls and which have integral tabs hinged to bottom edges and positioned so as to lie on the top faces of the bottom panel members with end portions in abutting engagement with the row divider and disposed beneath the end bottles in the carton, thereby precluding inadvertent unfolding of the end panels which hold the lower portions of the end bottles against movement out of the ends of the carton.

United States Patent [1 1 Arneson BOTTLE CARTON [75] Inventor: Edwin L. Arneson, Hillsdale, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Federal Paper Board Company Inc.,

Montvale, NJ.

[22] Filed: Sept. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.1 177,995

[52] US. Cl. 206/65 E, 220/108, 220/116,

[ Dec. 4, 1973 Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney-Guy A. Greenawalt and James T. Fitzgibbon [57] ABSTRACT A wraparound sleeve-type container or carrier for bottled goods which is formed of a single blank and wrapped around a cluster of bottles arranged in double row formation with the ends of the blank adapted to be connected on a center line beneath the cluster of bottles and providing an upstanding row divider, with the blank having triangular panels for partially closing opposite axial ends of the carton which are hinged to the end edges of the side walls and which have integral tabs hinged to bottom edges and positioned so as to lie on the top faces of the bottom panel members with end portions in abutting engagement with the row divider and disposed beneath the end bottles in the carton, thereby precluding inadvertent unfolding of the end panels which hold the lower portions of the end bottles against movement out of the ends of .the carton.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 7 PATENTEUBEB 4191a SHEET 2 OF 2 relates to packagingv and is more par- Various packaging units have been developed for bottled and canned beverages and similar 'products which are generally designed to be formed from paperboard blanks' cut and scored so as to be set up into container formation in the bottling or canning plant. The most popular type carrier for bottled goods has been one having the form of a basket in which a plurality of open topcells are provided for receiving the bottles. This type of carrier has two distinct disadvantages in that it requires a substantial amount of paperboard for its fabrication and the bottles are not securely retained in the package. The most popular package for the canned beverages has been the'wraparound or sleevetype unit'in which two rows of cans are encased. A typical carrier of this type is shown in US. Pat. .No. 2,985,294. Some carriers ofthe-sleeve type have been designed for packaging bottled beverages or the like.

Generally, these carriers have provided a top panel with apertures through which the bottle necks maybe made to protrude and provision has-been made for a row dividerto separate the bottles in the two rows but the problem of insuring retention of the bottom portions of the end bottles short of providing full 'end closures has not been satisfactorily solved. It is a general object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a sleeve-type bottle carton or carrier structure having an end panel arrangement which satisfactorily retains the end bottles while permitting the use of a minimum size blankand relatively simple machineryfor assembly.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a wraparound or sleeve-type carrier blank for bottled goods in which a middle panel of the blank is apertured to receive the necksof adou'ble row'cluster of bottles and small gusset-forming panels are provided on portions of the bottles and the bottom-forming panels are divided to provide a longitudinal center row divider while the side wall panels have on their free edges gusset-forming, generally triangular panels with locking tabs at the bottom thereof which are adapted to lie beneath the end bottles along the top faces of the bottom panels when the blank is folded about the bottles and with the tabs having end portions. which are restrained against outward hinging movement by abutting engagement with the row divider.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the bottle carton and carrier structure which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa packaging unit comprising two rows of three beverage bottles enclosed in a tubular carton or carrier which embodiestherein the principal features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the carton with the bottles removed and the top'portion of the carrier broken away;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of thecarton as shown in FIG. 1, with the top portions of the bottles broken away;

FIG. 4 is atop plan view of the packaging unit of FIG. 1 with portions broken away. 'at one end thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a paperboard blank which is 'cut and scored preparatory to forming the carton of ing unit which comprises a 'group of six beverage botthe opposite ends for retaining the end bottles so as to prevent inadvertentremoval from the carton or carrier. Another object of the invention is to provide a wraparound-type carrier blank for packaging a cluster of bottles which are arranged in laterally paired and longitudinally aligned row formation wherein the middle panel of the blank is apertured to receive the necks of a double row cluster of bottles, the, end panels are provided with interlocking or interengaging tab portions and portions forming a center row divider when folded and connected so as to forma sleeve about the bottle assembly with generally triangular shaped gusset forming panels of relatively small size'hinged to the end edges of the side wall, forming panels and folded into planes which are outwardly inclined relative to the plane of the associated side wall with integral bottom tabs which are disposed to lie on the top face of the bottom panels beneath the end bottles and which are anchored so as to preclude unfolding of the gusset panels and insure retention of the endbottles within the carrier.'

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wraparound-type carrier blank for packaging a cluster of bottles arranged in laterally paired and longitudi nally aligned row formation wherein a top forming panel is provided with apertures for receiving the neck tles B enclosed in a combination container or carton and carrier C of-tubular or sleeve-type configuration which embodies therein the principal features of the invention. The carton illustrated is adapted to be formed from a single blank of paperboard or other sheet material which is relativelyflexible and bendable, which is capable of being cut and folded as shown, and which has sufficient strength and rigidity to support the bottles it is designed to receive, whileat the same time being of a weight or thickness which will achieve the greatest economy in the use of the sheet material.

The paperboard blank 10 which is illustrated in FIG. 5 is cut and scored to provide the walls and associated connecting members for the bottle receiving carton of FIG. 1'. The blank 10, which is generally rectangular in shape, is symmetrical about the longitudinal center line a a and is divided by transversely extending score lines 1 l, 12, 13 and 14 into a plurality of integrally connected panels of generally rectangular shape which are adapted to be folded into wall-forming relation in the completed container. The transverse score lines 12 and 13 define between them the rectangular panel 15 which is adapted to form the top wall of the carton C as shown in FIG. 1. The transverse score lines 11 and 14 cooperate with the transverse score lines 12 and 13 to define apair of rectangular side wall forming panels 16 and 17, which in the set up form of the container, are in an oppositely disposed relation. The score line 11 at one end of the blank defines with the end or marginal edge 18 of the blank a rectangular bottom wall-forming panel 20 and a pair of relatively narrow side panels 21, 21' which result from cutting on the longitudinal lines 22, 22' which are parallel with the side edge portions 23, 23 of the blank and extend from the score line 11 to the end edge 18 of the blank. The panel 20 which is reduced in transverse dimension by the cutting lines 22,

22' is subdivided by a transverse score line 24 which is parallel with the score line 11 and the end edge 18 of the blank and which separates therefrom a rectangular panel 25 of relatively narrow width designed to form one ply ofa row divider 26 upstanding from the bottom wall of the carrier as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The corners of the blank are cut away on an approximately 45 angle to provide diagonal edges 27, 27' on the free ends of the panels 21, 21. The adjacent side wall panel 16 is provided with a transverse score line 28 which is parallel to the score line 12 and spaced some distance therefrom in the direction of the end 18 of the blank, and a pair of score lines 29 and 29 which extend in diagonal converging relation from the ends of the score line 28 to the intersection of the cutting lines 22, 22' with the transverse score line 11 so as to form panels 30 and 30 which are of generally triangular shape and which constitute end wall gusset panels at the hinge juncture of the side wall panel 16 and the bottom wall panel 20. The score line 28 co-operates with the score line 12 in defining an upwardly extending top portion 31 of the side wall 16 which is disposed in an upwardly inclined plane when the carton is set up and follows generally the upwardly slanting contour of the outer sides of the bottles as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

At the other end of the blank the transverse score line 14 co-operates with the end edge 32 of the blank in defining a rectangular bottom wall forming panel 33 which is reduced in transverse dimensionby parallel cutting lines 34 and 34. The cutting lines 34' and 35' which are parallel with and spaced from the end edge portions 35 and 35' of the blank extend to the transverse score line 14 and define with the end portions of the transverse score line 14 generally rectangular panels 36 and 36. The adjacent side wall forming panel 17 is scored on the lines 37 and 37 which extend in diagonal converging relation from the ends of transverse score line 38 to the points of intersection of the cutting lines 34, 34 with transverse score line 14 so as to define triangular panels 40, 40' in the side margins of the panel 17 which, when the carton is set up, constitute end wall gusset panels at the hinge juncture of the side wall panel 17 and the bottom wall panel 33. The transverse score line 38 co-operates with the transverse score line 13 which it parallels in defining an upwardly- The end marginal portion of the bottom wall forming panel 33 is cut on the short parallel lines 43, 43' which extend longitudinally of the blank and are transversely spaced to define, with the transverse score line.44 extending between the inner ends thereof, a panel 45 for co-operation with the panel 25 at the other end of the blank in forming the row divider 26. The panel 45 has a small panel portion 46 cut therein on the line 47 which, together with end panel portions 48, 48 provides connecting glue tabs for joining the two bottom wall forming panels 20 and 33 on the center line of the bottom wall, the panel portions 46, 48, 48 remaining in the plane of the bottom wall panel 33 and being adhesively secured to outside or bottom face portions of the bottom wall panel 20 when the carton is set up.

The center panel 15 which forms the top wall of the set up carton is provided with circular. apertures 50 of a proper size and spaced to receive the neck portions of the bottles when the latter are assembled in row formation as shown in FIG. 4. A pair of spaced finger holes are provided for lifting the assembly by cutting on the lines 51, 51' which results in finger reinforcing tabs 52, 52. The size of the blank is held to a minimum with the dimensions of the top and bottom wall forming panel portions in the direction transversely of the blank appreciably less than the maximum dimension of the bottle assembly in the longitudinal direction.

The blank 10 when cut, scored and provided with adhesive on the portions 46, 48, 48' is ssembled with or wrapped about a double row assembly of bottles B so as to form the bottle enclosing tube or sleeve shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.'The gusset forming panels 30, 30 and 36, 36' at the ends of the carton are folded about the score lines 29, 29' and 37, 37 which form the vertical end edges of side wall panels 16 and 17, into planes which are inclined toward a vertical plane on the longitudinal center of the carton. The associated panels, 21, 21 and 36, 36' which are integrally hinged to the bottom edges of the panels 30, 30 and 40, 40' are disposed on the inside or top faces of the bottom forming panels 20 and 33 with the end edges 27, 27' and 42, 42- in position to abut against the upstanding center row divider 26 so that the gusset panels 30, 30 and 40, 40' snugly engage a sufficient portion ofthe end bottle surfaces to prevent outward movement of the bottles while the panels 21, 21' and 36 36' are held against upward movement by the bottles and against outward movement by abutting engagement with the upstanding divider structure 26. When set up and assembly are accomplished by machine the panels 21, 21 and 36, 36' will, of course, be folded beneath the bottle assembly prior to folding and connecting the bottom panels 30 and 33.

I claim:

l. A blank for fabricating an open ended tubular carton which is adapted to enclose, when set up, a plurality of bottles arranged in double row forming relation and in longitudinal and transverse alignment, said blank comprising a generally rectangular sheet of relatively stiff, bendable material divided by longitudinally spaced, transversely extending crease lines into a center top wall forming panel, adjoining side wall forming panels at opposite edges thereof, and bottom wall forming panels at opposite ends of the blank, said blank endpanels having marginal portions at the ends of the blank which are adapted to be overlapped and secured together beneath the bottles to form the bottom wall of the carton when set up and said end panels being cut and creased to provide associated marginal portions which are foldable into upstanding relation when the carton is set up so as to form a row divider extending along the center line of the bottom wall, said side wall forming panels being creased along opposite sides of said blank on lines converging in the direction of said center top wall forming panel to provide integral gusset forming panel members of generally triangular configuration which are adapted to be folded, when the carton .is set up, into generally vertical and transverse planes with the widest portion at the bottom so as to snugly engage bottom portions of the vertical walls of the end bottles in the rows thereof and said end panels being further cut and creased at opposite sides of said blank providing relatively narrow panels integrally hinged to the bottom edges of the gusset forming panels so as to enable said panels to be folded about the integral connections with said-gusset panels to a position within the carton where theyare disposed between bottom portions of the end bottles and the top faces of the bottom wall forming panels with side edge portions abutting face portions of the row divider whereby they are secured against movement out of the ends of the carton.

2 A blank for fabricating an open ended tubular carton for enclosing, when set up, a plurality of bottles arranged in double row forming relation and in longitudinal and transverse alignment, said blank comprising a generally rectangular sheet of relatively stiff, bendable 5. A blank as set forth in claim '2 wherein said bottom wall forming end panels have end marginal portions scored on lines transversely of the blank and cut on longitudinal lines so as. to provide integral narrow edge panels which are adapted to hinge into upstanding relation relative to the bottom wall and along an axial center thereof when the carton is set up into tubular form so as to form said longitudinal divider.

6. A package comprising a double row assembly of bottles in a tubular carton which carton is fabricated from bendable sheet material so as to provide a top wall with apertures for receiving portions of the bottle necks, depending integral side walls and a pair of panpaperboard material divided by longitudinally spaced,

transversely extending crease lines into a center top wall forming panel, adjoining side wall forming panels at opposite edges of said center panel, and bottom wall forming panels at vopposite ends of the blank, said blank els with margins overlapped and secured to form a bottom wall with panel portions upstanding between the bottle rows for separating bottom portions of the bottles, said side walls having relatively small triangular end'panels integrally hinged to the vertical edges end panels having marginal portions which areadapted therefrom gusset forming panel members of generally.

triangular configuration which extending along the opposite side margins of said side wall forming panels'and whicha're adapted to be folded into vertical planes so as to snugly engage'bottoni portions of the vertical wall of the end bottles and said bottom wall forming end panels being subdivided by parallel cutting lines extending longitudinally of the blank and spaced inwardly I of the side edges providing anchoring panels integral with said gusset forming panels and which are separated therefrom by transverse hinge forming crease lines whereby they are adapted to be disposed between the bottom faces of the end bottles and the top faces of the bottom wall forming panels when the carton is set up, said anchoring panels having edge portions which are adapted to be positioned in abutting engagement with the longitudinal divider forming portions which are disposed in upstanding relation relative to the bottom wall and which anchoring panels hold the gusset forming panels against unfolding.

3. A blank as set forthin claim 2 wherein said side wall forming panels have diagonal side edge forming creases in the side margins thereof which converge in the direction of the ends of the blank and which separate therefrom said gusset forming panels.

4. A blank as set forth in claim 3 wherein said parallel cutting lines which subdivide the bottom wall forming end panels extend from the intersection of the diagonal score lines in the adjoining side wall forming panels with the transverse score lines which separate the bottom wall forming panels and the side wall forming panels.

thereof which are in the form of gussets and which are folded across the ends of the carton and into engage ment with vertical wall portions of the end bottles so as to retain the bottles against movement out of the ends of the carton, and said end wall gusset forming panels having integral bottom anchoring panels hinged to the bottom edges thereof and folded beneath the end bottles and'into face engagement with the bottom wall and said anchoring panels having edges positioned in abutting engagement with said upstanding bottle separating panel portions whereby said anchoring panels are;

trapped between the top face of the bottom wall and the bottom faces of the end bottles and said gusset forming panels are held in bottle retaining position by said anchoring panels.

7. A carton for a double row of cylindrical articles which-are adapted to be disposed in upright position in said carton, said carton'being fabricated from a generally rectangular blank of foldable sheet material which is cut and creased so that it may be folded into open ended tubular form with a center top wall forming panel havingapertures for receiving top portions of the articles, depending side wall panels and bottom wall forming panels, which bottom wall forming panels have upstanding panel portions for separating the bottom portions of the articles, said side wall panels having relatively small panels hinged to the vertical edges thereof and folded against portions of the vertical walls of the end articles when the latter are positioned therein so as to form gusset members which restrain the articles against movement out of the carton, and said gusset members. 

1. A blank for fabricating an open ended tubular carton which is adapted to enclose, when set up, a plurality of bottles arranged in double row forming relation and in longitudinal and transverse alignment, said blank comprising a generally rectangular sheet of relatively stiff, bendable material divided by longitudinally spaced, transversely extending crease lines into a center top wall forming panel, adjoining side wall forming panels at opposite edges thereof, and bottom wall forming panels at opposite ends of the blank, said blank end panels having marginal portions at the ends of the blank which are adapted to be overlapped and secured together beneath the bottles to form the bottom wall of the carton when set up and said end panels being cut and creased to provide associated marginal portions which are foldable into upstanding relation when the carton is set up so as to form a row divider extending along the center line of the bottom wall, said side wall forming panels being creased along opposite sides of said blank on lines converging in the direction of said center top wall forming panel to provide integral gusset forming panel members of generally triangular configuration which are adapted to be folded, when the carton is set up, into generally vertical and transverse planes with the widest portion at the bottom so as to snugly engage bottom portions of the vertical walls of the end bottles in the rows thereof and said end panels being further cut and creased at opposite sides of said blank providing relatively narrow panels integrally hinged to the bottom edges of the gusset forming panels so as to enable said panels to be folded about the integral connections With said gusset panels to a position within the carton where they are disposed between bottom portions of the end bottles and the top faces of the bottom wall forming panels with side edge portions abutting face portions of the row divider whereby they are secured against movement out of the ends of the carton.
 2. A blank for fabricating an open ended tubular carton for enclosing, when set up, a plurality of bottles arranged in double row forming relation and in longitudinal and transverse alignment, said blank comprising a generally rectangular sheet of relatively stiff, bendable paperboard material divided by longitudinally spaced, transversely extending crease lines into a center top wall forming panel, adjoining side wall forming panels at opposite edges of said center panel, and bottom wall forming panels at opposite ends of the blank, said blank end panels having marginal portions which are adapted to be overlapped and secured together beneath the bottles to form the bottom wall of the carton when set up and which are cut and creased to provide associated marginal portions adapted to be folded into upstanding relation relative to the bottom wall so as to form a longitudinal divider between the rows and said side wall forming panels having side edge creases separating therefrom gusset forming panel members of generally triangular configuration which extending along the opposite side margins of said side wall forming panels and which are adapted to be folded into vertical planes so as to snugly engage bottom portions of the vertical wall of the end bottles and said bottom wall forming end panels being subdivided by parallel cutting lines extending longitudinally of the blank and spaced inwardly of the side edges providing anchoring panels integral with said gusset forming panels and which are separated therefrom by transverse hinge forming crease lines whereby they are adapted to be disposed between the bottom faces of the end bottles and the top faces of the bottom wall forming panels when the carton is set up, said anchoring panels having edge portions which are adapted to be positioned in abutting engagement with the longitudinal divider forming portions which are disposed in upstanding relation relative to the bottom wall and which anchoring panels hold the gusset forming panels against unfolding.
 3. A blank as set forth in claim 2 wherein said side wall forming panels have diagonal side edge forming creases in the side margins thereof which converge in the direction of the ends of the blank and which separate therefrom said gusset forming panels.
 4. A blank as set forth in claim 3 wherein said parallel cutting lines which subdivide the bottom wall forming end panels extend from the intersection of the diagonal score lines in the adjoining side wall forming panels with the transverse score lines which separate the bottom wall forming panels and the side wall forming panels.
 5. A blank as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bottom wall forming end panels have end marginal portions scored on lines transversely of the blank and cut on longitudinal lines so as to provide integral narrow edge panels which are adapted to hinge into upstanding relation relative to the bottom wall and along an axial center thereof when the carton is set up into tubular form so as to form said longitudinal divider.
 6. A package comprising a double row assembly of bottles in a tubular carton which carton is fabricated from bendable sheet material so as to provide a top wall with apertures for receiving portions of the bottle necks, depending integral side walls and a pair of panels with margins overlapped and secured to form a bottom wall with panel portions upstanding between the bottle rows for separating bottom portions of the bottles, said side walls having relatively small triangular end panels integrally hinged to the vertical edges thereof which are in the form of gussets and which are folded across the ends of the carton and into engagement with vertical wall portiOns of the end bottles so as to retain the bottles against movement out of the ends of the carton, and said end wall gusset forming panels having integral bottom anchoring panels hinged to the bottom edges thereof and folded beneath the end bottles and into face engagement with the bottom wall and said anchoring panels having edges positioned in abutting engagement with said upstanding bottle separating panel portions whereby said anchoring panels are trapped between the top face of the bottom wall and the bottom faces of the end bottles and said gusset forming panels are held in bottle retaining position by said anchoring panels.
 7. A carton for a double row of cylindrical articles which are adapted to be disposed in upright position in said carton, said carton being fabricated from a generally rectangular blank of foldable sheet material which is cut and creased so that it may be folded into open ended tubular form with a center top wall forming panel having apertures for receiving top portions of the articles, depending side wall panels and bottom wall forming panels, which bottom wall forming panels have upstanding panel portions for separating the bottom portions of the articles, said side wall panels having relatively small panels hinged to the vertical edges thereof and folded against portions of the vertical walls of the end articles when the latter are positioned therein so as to form gusset members which restrain the articles against movement out of the carton, and said gusset members having relatively small, integrally hinged panels at the bottom thereof folded into a position between bottom portions of the end articles and the bottom wall forming panels and said hinged panels having edge portions positioned in engagement with said upstanding members which separate bottom portions of the articles and prevent outward movement of said gusset members. 